Sunday, May 12, 2013

What is fear? We don’t want to lose something or want to avoid something unpleasant that could possibly happen in the future. It all based on possible future outcomes that we try to predict in our minds before they actually occur. It is natural for self-preservation, yet when that natural instinct takes over it can fill us with fear and dread. I can spend so much time worrying about losing my job, or my home because of not having enough money. Fear itself is just a story, and even money is a man-made construct based on nothing. The fear feels so real even when an event is not happening in the moment just in the mind.

Nothing in this world last forever, money, cars, houses, jobs, and even loved ones all disappear eventually. Furthermore even each of us will vanish from this existence. Much of our suffering is the result of trying to cling to very things that we know are going vanish. Impermanence is the natural way of the world we exist in. How do we avoid fear?

When fear arises simply bitch slap it back down into the void where it came from. I have two tools which I use slap my fear down. First, the knowledge and acceptance of impermanence, try to stay open to changes and try less to control an outcome. Try to stay open to feeling things that are not so pleasant sadness, anger, loneliness are all a part of life. The key is to feel them fully then let them go. Being able to let go is much more useful than grasping and trying keep things the same. Letting go and being open to whatever comes next is true freedom. Second, we all have everything we need in this moment, and this moment is perfect as it is. Every moment is fully complete as it is and does not need anything added to it. Let go of the past, everything is perfect in this moment and stay open to the future.